‘To Titillate’ trtrlert/

arouse (someone) to interest or mild excitement

'The body embodies many aspects in my work. It is used as a model, an object and medium. '

The disconnection from ‘the body’ as we know it fascinates, attracts and invites you to look closer at my work.

Using video, photocollage and installation, I explore the body in all its forms. The body is literally objectified but NOT as a lust-object.

Reinventing the way we look at the body and how it takes shape, I play with the spectator through recognition and abstraction. Using skintones and imperfections of the body as a foundation, the body is then pulled apart from its known form and an image of the body is recreated. Imperfections of the body and the skin are investigated, magnified and combined into a new Body of Bodies.


The body parts I use in my work are collected through anonymous photosessions where the model chooses which part they would like photographed and donated to my archive. This part is very important to me to see how people look at their body and what they want to 'donate'. People tend to 'mentally' give away parts they are ashamed of or proudly donate their most loved part to my archive.


The body respresents EVERYBODY and becomes ONE through my work. Gender, race and age are put in one bundle of bodies. Which parts of the body we see are not always clear. The parts get reinvented. As a spectator you try and figure out which parts you are seeing. We see the body in its purest form. Nude and with all its imperfections. Shown as it is but out of its context. Through this the phenomenon of pareidolia can take place, looking beside the obvious and seeing something that is not there. Our brain is used to recognise things quickly, a basic reflex which protects us from danger and helps us read people’s expressions.

Education

.2009-2011 Master in free-arts, School of arts, Ghent

Upcoming expositions

Wear Sunscreen 27/04-03/11 Villa Zephyr Westende

https://www.middelkerke.be/nl/cultuurstek/evenementen/tentoonstelling-wear-sunscreen

Les Liaisons Désireuses26/05-13/10 Kasteel Van Ursel, Hingene

https://www.kasteeldursel.be/bezoek/

Past expositions

2024

'Woman In Arts Biennale'Espace vanderborght BXl

18/03-31/03 

https://biennaleofwomeninart.com/artists-of-the-biennale/

'Folding Folded Folds' Artist runspace Dingen Die Niet Verkopen Antwerp 17 february -03 march

https://fb.me/e/79zaevKaq

2023

'21ste Biennale van Hedendaagste kunst', Kasteel van Poeke, Aalter

https://www.xn--binnaleaalter-4hb.eu/kunstenaars

'Lijf en Leden, Morbee Gallery, Knokke' 25 march- 25 june

https://morbeegallery.com/ Curator Daan Rau met werk van Filip Anthonissen, Els Ceulemans, Michiel De Clercq, Greet Desal, Elke Desutter, Benny Luyckx, Edith Ronse, Jonas Vansteenkiste, Yves Velter, Patrick Vertenten

'In the Inside, Groupshow Bruges 15-23 april

https://www.intheinside.be/ Ben Benaouisse,Bert Koeck,Elke Desutter,Greet Gemis,Ilse Selhorst,Nicolas Van Parys,Stefaan Vanhoutte en Steven Vermeyen

2022

'A Titillating Evening Awaits' Solo expo Gildhof Tielt, 29 september-30 october

https://www.gildhof.be/intra-muros-elke-desutter

''de Hoofdzaak' veiling en expo Blauwhuis Izegem

'Exposure' groupshow/  4-5, 10-12 june Kasteel Borluut, Ghent

https://fb.me/e/1oKybt2Yc

Residency @ KAOS FESTIVAL/Kranj/ Slovenia 1-14june

https://layer.si/kaos/en/programme/all-events/all-events-2022

''Corporeal Gestures' / Portland United States 04/04- 29/04

https://www.pdx.edu/architecture/events/corporeal-gestures

'Loss' /Site Sanitary Zottegem 06-05 until 08-05 https://www.kunstenfestival-loss.com/

2021

'Passie & Obsessie 2021' / cc Zwijgershoek/  Sint-Niklaas

'Input/output 2022'/ Poorterloge Brugge

https://fb.me/e/1c9ru3ooC

'Onverbloemd #2 ' / Bloemmolens in Diksmuide

https://fb.me/e/2vaN3AlRh

'Generaties Lijmen' /Guislain Museum / Ghent

https://www.facebook.com/museumdrguislain/photos/pcb.10165318415810607/10165318415600607/

'Buy Local' Kunstsalon/ kunsthal Gent

'Homo San'/ Lier

'Hedendaagse Primitieven'/ Exporuimte Burg/ Bruges

https://www.ccbrugge.be/agenda/1426/Hedendaagse_Primitieven/Alex_Vanhee_Benedikte_Van_Eeghem/

'Groupshow What's in it for me'/ Blanco/ Ghent

https://fb.me/e/116Vof39g

2020

Bulp/ Nerdlab/ Brugge

Buy Local/ Zomersalon Kunsthal / Ghent

For a Brief Eternity/ De Tank/ Bruges

Bokashi.be/ duoshow/ Zebrastraat/ Ghent

Inside/out 2020 / kasteel Borluut/ Ghent

https://www.insideout2020.be/

Foundation Andrée & Pierre Arty/ Mechelen

https://fondationarty.com/

'Behind the Glasss' pandemic project from Jonas Vansteenkiste/ Ghent

https://jonasvansteenkiste.wixsite.com/portfolio/behind-the-glass?pgid=k8736n2t-104cbdac-91e1-49c1-b4bd-5136a6bc759d

Vitrines D'amour, Bulthaup, Ghent

https://www.facebook.com/events/gent-linkeroever/vitrines-damour/201932057025229/

2019

WAWWA n°3 Oil/ De Tank/ Bruges

https://www.facebook.com/events/2787426811268358/

Klein Sculptuur/ CC Zwaneberg/ Heist-op-den-Berg

https://www.facebook.com/events/843056022756035/

BYOB Mutation/ Nerdlab/ Ghent

https://www.facebook.com/events/447498319306581/

M/V/X: Het lichaam, een feest?/CC/  Bruges

https://www.facebook.com/events/2496470127242495/

Opening Makerspace/MAM/ Bruges

Kolaj Fest / New Orleans, USA

http://kolajmagazine.com/content/kolaj-fest/donate-yourself/

Ulele Pitch 'BOOK OF BRUISES'/ Antwerp

group project Nerdlab@Tumult/Krook/ Ghent

https://www.facebook.com/events/987560678106963/

World Collage atlas/ Verbeke Foundation/ Kemzeke.

https://www.facebook.com/events/342187649745483/

2018

'CENSORmeTHIS'/ solo expo/ Blanco in Ghent

'Projector'/ Audiovisual Festival/ Haar in Antwerp

'Ongezien 3'/ Dopplatform/ BP building in Antwerp

'More = More'/ Groupshow/ CC Sint-Niklaas

'Overspel deel II'/Project Prevenda/Antwerp Central Station

2017

'Overspel'/Project Prevenda/Antwerp Central Station

'The inhabitant Body'/ Groupshow 300jaar academie/ Schipperskapel in Bruges

'The first on the left'/ Sponsored project with musician Laurens Van Bouwelen/ Kouter in Ghent

'Kunstenlab'/Passage/ Bogardenkapel in Bruges

........

Selections and prizes

2020 'Input/output 2022'/ Selection Groupshow/ Poorterloge Brugge

2019  ‘Klein Sculptuur’/ Selection groupshow/ CC/Heist-Op-Den-Berg

2019 'KolajFest'/ project 'Donate Yourself'

2014 ‘Stimulans’/ Selection/ Broelmuseum/ Courtray

2014‘Kunstsalon Sant’ / Selection/ Stadshallen/ Bruges

2011 ‘Provincial price for fine arts'/ Laureate/ Venetian Galleries/

Ostend

2010 'Frappant expo’/ Preselection/collaboration with Wesley Van Gaever /Diamantmuseum in Antwerp

2009 ‘Arnoevoo’/3th place/ Staf Versluys in Bredene

2006 ‘Curieus’ in Wenduine/ Selection for the final in Ypres

'

© Alex Vanhee

By using media like video, photocollage and installation, I explore the body in all it forms.'

Download my portfolio here 

Elke Desutter

Bruges,1987

Lives and works in Bruges, Belgium